Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito declared on Thursday that he will prevent the return of the controversial “leadership fund” scheme while leading the Senate Committee on Finance.
Ejercito noted that his predecessor, Senate President Win Gatchalian, refrained from maintaining any such fund while heading the finance panel under former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, who now serves as Senate President Pro Tempore.
“At ipagpapatuloy ko ’yun, even the reforms that he has started,” Ejercito told reporters.
Acknowledging that lawmakers possess the legitimate authority to submit amendments and revisions to the national budget, Ejercito emphasized that proposing adjustments is standard legislative practice.
However, he stressed that this mechanism must never be exploited to slip in dubious line items or unvetted last-minute projects.
“So you can be assured na ako, bilang bagong chairman ng finance, reforms will continue. Of course, yung accountability, yung safeguards will always be there,” he added.
Ejercito’s statements come amid heightened scrutiny regarding an alleged “leadership fund” previously sourced from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which was reportedly utilized to finance favored infrastructure projects for lawmakers.
In testimony tied to his ongoing malversation proceedings before the Sandiganbayan, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan alleged that members of the previous Senate each received at least ₱500 million from the supposed pool.